BITS Pilani ANRF Project Assistant Recruitment 2026

BITS Pilani ANRF Project Assistant Recruitment 2026: Overview

Birla Institute of Technology and Science Pilani (BITS Pilani) is recruiting a Project Assistant for a research assignment in the Department of Biological Sciences at its Pilani Campus. The work belongs to an Anusandhan National Research Foundation (ANRF)-supported project led by Dr Sandhya Marathe, with the study focused on adapting a naturally occurring bacterial defence system into a possible anti-Salmonella approach.

The role sits inside a hands-on microbiology project rather than a routine administrative assignment. You would support experiments that examine how the endogenous CRISPR-Cas system can be repurposed against Salmonella and help turn laboratory observations into usable research records. This is a short, focused research engagement, so the team is likely to value someone who can settle into laboratory work quickly and follow established methods carefully. Careful comparison of results and consistent record-keeping will matter as much as speed at the bench.

Service Conditions and Caveats

• Contract basis: The appointment is tied only to the sponsored project and does not create a claim to a regular BITS Pilani position.
• Project tenure: The engagement runs for four months and is scheduled to end with the project period on 31 January 2027.
• Work setting: Your work will be based with the Biological Sciences team at Pilani Campus and will centre on microbiological and molecular-biological analysis.
• Shortlisting: The project team will compare academic merit, relevant experience and the needs of the research before contacting suitable applicants. Sending an application does not by itself guarantee an interview.
• Interview format: Candidates taken forward will be contacted directly, and the interaction will be held online.
• Project fit: The notice gives preference to practical laboratory exposure because the assignment needs careful sample handling, experimental support and accurate observations from the start.

Application Submission Notes

Send your application by email to sandhya.marathe@pilani.bits-pilani.ac.in and use “Application for Project Assistant- ANRF Project” as the subject line. The subject matters because it helps the project team route your email to the correct research vacancy.

Your email should bring together a clear CV and a short cover letter, along with contact details for at least two academic referees. The CV should make your education, technical skills, research exposure and publications easy to spot. If you have a relevant national-level examination score, attach that scorecard as well; the notice treats this attachment as applicable rather than compulsory for everyone.

• Carry out microbiological experiments connected with the anti-Salmonella study
• Perform molecular biology analysis of the endogenous CRISPR-Cas system
• Prepare samples and follow laboratory protocols for each experiment
• Record experimental observations and keep research notes organised
• Support the principal investigator with project data and progress updates
• Follow biosafety, equipment-use, and laboratory quality practices